Container for dry cells and method of forming same



1929- ,c. N. MERTES 1,725,592

QONTAINER FOR DR! CELLS AND METHOD OF FORMING SAME Filed July 2, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug, 20, 1929. c, N, MERTES 1,725,592

CONTAINER FOR DRY CELLS AND METHOD OF FORMING SAME Filed July 2. 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 20, 1929. g

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CLARENCE NICHOLAS MER'IES, OF BEREA, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL DRY BAT- TERIES, INCORPORATED, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO..

CONTAINER FOB. DRY CELLS AND METHOD OF FORMING SAME.

Application filed July's, 1928. Serial No. 289,938.

This invention relates generally to containers for dry cells and to the method of forming such containers.

Heretofore dry cells have been generally made in the form of cylindrical containers .in .which is packed a suita bl e depolarizing mix containing the positive oi c'arbon electrode, the container itself being usually of zinc and serving as the negative electrode. With the advent of radio there arose the necessity of the so-called radio B battery. These batteries have usually consisted of a number of small cells enclosed and sealed within a single container and connected in series. Due to the large demand for B batteries it became necessary to devise means to produce these cells in large quantities and at comparatively low cost. These cells are considerably smaller thanthe ordinary size cell and the general practice has been to form the container by drawing a single piece of metal to the form of a cylindrical can of the desired dimensions. When the cells are completed it has been customary'to assemble a number of cells in a single rectangular container, the cells being of course insulated one fromthe other and connected in series.

In assembling the round cells in a rectangular container considerable space is left vacant between the adjacent cans. To meet this situation cells were made rectangular in shape, usually square, so that the cans could be arranged within the container closely adjacent each other without leaving the space between cans. Due to the fact thatsquare cans of the desired size could not be drawnfrom a single piece of metal, it became necessary to form a blank and then to bend it into the desired shape and solder the joints. This operation proved costly and unsatisfactory because of the fact that a good soldered joint could not be ob tained and with the result that many cans leaked, thus rendering the cell defective. Often times this defect was not discovered until the cells were assembled andsealed in a battery unit, and in some cases after the battery had'been placed in service with the result that the whole unit would be rendered defective.

It is therefore the main object of this invention to provide a one piece seamless metal container for dry cells which will obviate the difliculties .hereinbefore men- .a container for dry cells. the container 1s shaped as shown most clear-' tioned and at the same time be well adapted for quantity production atcomparatively invention will appear as the description proceeds and by reference to the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a full size view in side elevation of a drawn metal cylindrical can; Fig. 2 is a view showing the mandrel just prior to being inserted intg the can; Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the mandrel inserted into the can; Fig. i is a diagrammatic view ofthe vise for squaring the can; Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the vise in closed position; Figs. Sand 7 are perspective views of the squared can; Fig. 8 is an endv View of the outer end of the mandrel; Fig. 9 is adiagrammatic view showing the relative size of themandrel and cylindrical; and Fig. 10is a vertical sectional view of a finished cell.

In practicing my method I first draw a cylindrical can 1 from a single piece of metal. I then provide a mandrel 2 which is of the desired shape, preferably square in cross section, and slightly longer than the height of the cylindrical cans.

eter of the cylindrical can. I then insert the mandrel into the cylindrical can until the inner end of the same engages the bottom of the can. The can with the mandrel therein is then placed in a press or vise consisting of a pair of movable jaws 3 and- 4 having complementary recesses thereln which, when moved to the position shown in Fig. 5 form a square opening. The jaws 3 and 4 are then moved to the position shown in Fig. 5 and serve to bend the side walls of the can to conform to the shape of the mandrel. The mandrel is then removed leaving a square, one piece, seamless, metal container which is well adapted for use as The bottom of ly in Fig. 7 as the inner end of the mandrel bears against the bottom and gives it this The inner end of the mandrel is slightly tapered shape. The metal adjacent the bottom of the can. is stretched or drawn slightly when the mandrel is inserted and the can is bulged outwardly slightlyv at this point, as shown at 5 and 6 in Fig. 3; however, the finished can is substantially square.

In Fig. 8 there is disclosed a completed cell consisting of a square, one piece seamless metal can 1 having a bibulous lining 7, a mass of depolarizing mix 8, a carbon electrode 9, an expansion reservoir 10 formed by washers 11 and 12 and a seal 13 sealing the top of the cell.

Itis to be understood that .the order in which the several steps of my process are carried out is immaterial as the mandrel may be inserted into the can either before or after the can has been squared in the 'vise. It is also to .be understood that the step of inserting the mandrel may be omitted entirely as it is possible to square the can in the vise alone although the bottom of the can will be flexed inwardly if the mandrel is not first inserted, as hereinbefore described. the shape or size of the mandrel may be varied without departing .from the spirit of my invention and that my invention is limited only in accordance with the scope of the a pended claims. Certain of the claims 'speci y that the depth ofthe can is considerably greater than its diameter. In order.

that there may be no misunderstandingas to the term considerably greater I mean that the depth of the can is such that it cannot be drawn or extruded polygonal or square in cross section.

8. one

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is I. An electrode for dry cells comprising ieee seamless, metallic can the oppo site sides of which are parallel with each other, the depth of said can being consid- 'erably greater than its diameter.

2. An electrode for dry cells comprising a one piece seamless'metal canv the oppos te sides of which are parallel and the adjacfint sides of which are at right angles to each other, the depth 'of said can being coniiderably greater than its diameter.

3. An electrode for dry cells comprising a metal can the sides arid bottom of which are formed from a single piece of metal,.the said can being seamless and substantialldy square in cross section and having consi erably greater depth than diameter.

4. An electrode for dry cells comprising a rectangular seamless can formed from a single piece of metal and having considerably eater depth than diameter.

electrode for .dry'cells comprising a square, seamless can formed from a single piece of metal, the depth of the canbeing considerably reater than its diameter. ..6. The Imetliod of making a one piece,

It is also to be understood that seamless, square electrode for dry cells which consists in drawing a circular can from a single piece of metal, the depth of said can being considerably greater than its diameter, inserting a square mandrel within the circular can and bending thewalls of the can to conform to the sha )e of the mandrel. 7. The method of making a rectangular one piece seamless, one piece electrode for dry cells which consists in drawing a single piece of metal to form a, cylindrical can the depth of which is considerably greater than its diameter, inserting a rectangular mandrel' into the cylindrical can and bending t the mandrel.

9. The method of making a square onepiece, seamless, drawn metal'electrode for dry cells which consists in drawing a single piece of metal to form a cylindrical can the depth of which is considerably greater than its diameter, inserting asquare mandrel into the cylindrical can until the inner end of the mandrel bears against the bottom of the can and bending the walls of the can to conform to the shape of the mandrel.

10. The method of making a square, one piece, seamless, drawn metal electrode for dry cells which consists in drawing a; single piece of metal to form a cylindrical can the depth of which is considerably greater than its diameter, forcing a mandrel into the cylindrical can until the-inner end of the man- 7 drel bears against the bottom of the can,

the mandrel being square in. cross section and having a rounded inner end, then bending the walls of the can to conform to the shape'of, the mandrel.

11. The method of making a one ieee, seamless, drawn metal. electrode for ry'cells which consists in drawin a single piece offrhetal into the form 0 a cylindrical can, having a substantially flat no I polygonal, v

bottom the depth, of said can being considerabl greater than" its diameter, insertin a po ygonal mandrel-linto said cylindrica can until the inner end "of the mandrel engages the bottomof the can, the inner end offlthe mandrel being rounded and serving to prevent the bottom ofthe can from flex ing inwardly, and bendingthe walls of the cylindrical can to conform to the shape of the mandrel. i

12. The method of making a square,-'one piece, seamless, drawn metal electrode for dry cells which consists in drawing a single mamas and then bending the wa ls of the can until, the opposite sides are parallel and the ad-.

jacnt-sides are at right angles to each other. 14. The method of making asquare one piece, seamless, drawn metal electrode for dry cells which consists in drawing a single piece of metal into the form of a cylindrical can having considerably greater depth than diameter, inserting a square mandrel into the cylindrical can, the diagonal of the mandrel .being slightly greater than the diameter of the cylindrical can, and bending the, walls of the canto conform to the shape of the mandrel.

15. Anelectrode for dry cells com rising a polygonal seamless can formed F single piece of metal and having considerably greater depth than diameter.

16. An electrode for dry cells comprising a polygonal seamless drawn metal can formed from a single piece of metal and having considerably greater depth 'than diameter.

17. An electrode for dry cells comprising a polygonal drawn metal can formed from a single piece of metal, thedepth'of the can,

being considerabl' greater than its diameter.

18. An electro e for dry cells comiprisin an elongated one-piece seamless po y 0nd can and having considerably greater eptli' than diameter.

' 19. electrode for dry cells comprising rom a' an elongated drawn metal. seamless polygonal can having asubstantially flat bottom and having considerably greater depth than diameter. v 20. An electrode for dry cells comprising an elongated seamless can, polygonal in cross section, the depth of the can bein considerably greater than its diameter.

21. The method of making. a olygonal drawn metal electrode ior dry ce ls which .consistsin drawing a circular can from a single piece of metal the depth ofsaid can being considerably greater than its diameter,

inserting a polygonal mandrel within thev circular can and bending the walls of the can to conform to the sha e of the mandrel.

22. The method of ma lring a polygonal seamless one-piece drawn metal electrode for dry cells which consists in drawin single piece of metal into the form 0 a cylindrical can'the de th of said can being considerably reater t an its diameter, in-

bending the walls of the canto conform to the, shape of the mandreL.

23. The method of forming a polygonal drawn metal electrode for use in adry cell which consists in drawing'a single piece of metal into the form of a'cylindrical can the depth of which is considerably greater than its diameter, bending the walls of the can until the can is polygonal incr'oss section.

24. The method of making a polygonal seamless one piece drawn metal electrode for dry cells which consists in drawing asingle piece of metal into the form-of a cy-- lindrical, one piece, seamless can-having a substantially flat bottom, bending the walls of the can until the can is polygonal in cross section.

'serting into t e cylindrical can a mandrel WlllCll 1s polygonal in cross section and In testimony whereof, I hereuntoaflixmy signature.

CLARENCE monoLAs MERTES. 

